The Golden Man Mystery Tour in Kazakhstan
"The Secret of the Golden Man" invites you to join a fascinating tour of the Almaty region. This tour covers part of the Almaty region and takes in its landmarks.
We will visit the Issyk burial mounds, the museum in Issyk village, the hot springs in Chundzha village, the Dardamty rock carvings, the sacred Kieli-Agash tree, the Maly Koytas rock carvings, the village of Zharkent, the Zharkent temple (mosque), the Altyn-Emel nature reserve, the Singing Dune, and more.
A full route description with detailed information can be found in the tour schedule.
- Distance of the route:
1 314 km
- Season time:
May – September all season
- Best time:
July - September
- Group size:
not more 12 person
- Days & nights:
8 days - 7 nights
Tour itinerary:
Upon arrival in Almaty, we will meet at the airport and then transfer to the hotel, check in and have breakfast. After we have breakfast, we will have an excursion to the National Historical Museum, which houses the "golden" room of the Sakas. This museum contains the gold found during the excavations of the Golden Man in the Issyk mounds.
After finishing the tour at the museum, we will go to Republic Square (popularly known as Novaya Ploshchad), where we will visit the Independence stele, on top of which there is a sculpture of the Golden Man. Then we go on a city tour, which will include a visit to the 28 Panfilovtsev Memorial Park, the Cathedral, as well as the museum of musical instruments.
After a sightseeing tour of Almaty, we drive to the Kok-Tobe cable car station, located on Dostyk Avenue near the Palace of the Republic. We take the funicular up to the top of Kok-Tobe Mountain (1130 m), the ascent takes 5 minutes (1.7 km). On the mountain we visit the mini zoo, where you can see birds of prey, pheasants and peacocks, as well as deer and llamas, then walk to the monument dedicated to the band "The Beatles", after that we will go to the souvenir shop and art gallery.
After a walk on Kok-Tobe Mountain, we go down to the bus station and return to the hotel, where we have dinner and relax.
Almaty city – mounds and museum of Issyk city – Chilik village – Bayseit village – Nura village – Kokpek village – Chunja village, hot springs (289 km).
After breakfast, we drive out of the city along the Kuldzhinsky highway, and follow it to the village of Avat, after which we turn right, and after six kilometers we reach the Issyk Kurgans. After reaching the mounds, we will visit the museum of the history of the Golden Man, we will also visit the excavations of the great Issyk kurgan and the gallery, which includes more than ten mounds.
After visiting the gallery, we will head east along the Bakovskaya Road along the Grand Almaty Canal. After reaching the village of Malovodnoye, we will visit the nearby six mounds to the north of it. We inspect and take pictures. Then, after forty-four kilometers, we will reach the burial mounds of the Saka period, which are located north of the village of Chilik.
The largest mound here, twenty meters high, is located near the Great Almaty Canal, the remaining four mounds are located eight hundred meters south of the great mound. We walk, inspect the mounds and take pictures. Moving further along the Bakovskaya road, we pass 144 kilometers and villages: Malybai, Bayseit, Nura, Kokpek, and get to the village of Chunja, near which there are hot springs.
We drive into the recreation area and settle in. If desired, you can take a dip in the hot water pool and relax after a long journey. We have dinner and relax.
Hot springs – Dardamty village – Dardamty River – archaeological cave (ancient man's site) – petroglyphs of Dardamty (32 km).
After breakfast, we will go to the rock paintings of Dardamta. Our path will go south, towards the Uighur village of Dardamty, located under the Ketmen mountain range. After the village, we will drive along the right side of the Dardamty River, crossing the river will take place along a dried-up tributary of the river.
After reaching the archaeological cave, we walk along the mountain path that runs down the slope to the cave, three kilometers later, when we reach the ancient man's campsite, we explore the cave and the surrounding area, take pictures. After returning from a walk, we leave for the petroglyphs of Dardamty, the purpose of our trip.
The rock paintings of the Saka period are located at an altitude of 1355 meters above sea level. When we get there, we walk to the rock paintings and take pictures. Petroglyphs are depicted on rocks, when climbing, take the necessary care. After lunch, we return to the hot springs. We have dinner and relax.
Hot springs – Chundzha village – Koktal village – Aulie village-Agash – Yenbekshi village – Maly Usek River – kumyskhana Usek (177 km).
After breakfast, we leave the recreation area and drive to one of the largest rivers in Southern Kazakhstan, called Ili, which originates on the Tien Shan in China at an altitude of 3540 m. The length of the river is 1,439 km, of which most is located in the Almaty region of Kazakhstan, where it flows into the western part of Lake Balkhash.
After passing the village of Koktal, our path will lie along the Usek River in the Dzungarian Alatau gorge. When we reach the village of Enbekshi, which is located in the beautiful valley of the Usek River, we stop and take photos to capture the variety of clays of different colors that make up the cliff located in the eastern part of the village.
After a short stop in the village of Enbekshi, we get to the kumyskhany "Usek". We stay in the yurts and have lunch. After lunch, we go to the Little Koytas petroglyphs, which are located five kilometers from Kumyskhana. We walk, inspect the petroglyphs of Mily Koytas, take pictures. Upon our return, we will have dinner and rest in the yurts.
Kumyskhana "Usek" – the village of Enbekshi – the sacred tree of Aulie-Agash - the village of Koktal – the city of Zharkent – the village of Konyrolen – the village of Baschi.
After breakfast, we go to the sacred Aulie-Agashe tree, which is located thirty kilometers from Kumiskhana. The age of this tree is 700 years old. We walk through the ash grove and the surrounding area, taking pictures.
After passing through the villages of Aulie-Agashe and Koktal, we reach the city of Zharkent. There we will have an excursion to the ethnographic museum at the mosque and a visit to the Zharkent mosque itself. From Zharkent, passing the villages of Konyrolen and Bakchi, we will go to the guest house "Shagan".
Along the way, we will also stop in the mountains of East Aktau, walk and take pictures. When we get to the Shagan Guest house, we check in, have dinner and relax.
Shagan Guest House – Mynbulak cordon – Beshatyr mounds – Taigak rock paintings – Mynbulak cordon – Singing Dune – Shagan Guest House (202 km).
After we have breakfast, we drive to the Beshatyr mounds. After passing the Mynbulak cordon along the steppe road, after sixty kilometers we reach the burial mounds. Upon reaching the place, we will climb the main of the mounds – Beshatyr, from which there is a picturesque view of the Ili River and a number of mounds stretching in a row to the river. We look around and take pictures. After descending from the mound, we walk with an excursion to the Beshatyr menhir stones.
Next, our path will lead to the Taiga petroglyphs. Upon arrival, we take a walk in the Taigak gorge, inspect the petroglyphs and take photos. Then, passing through the Mynbulak cordon again, we head to the Singing Dune, which is located 69 kilometers away. When we get to the dune, we walk around the nearby area, then climb the dune itself, take pictures.
After visiting the dune, we return to the guest house "Shagan". We have dinner and relax.
Guest house "Shagan" – Baschi village – Konyrolen village – Koktal village – Chunja village – Charyn canyons – Kokpek village – Chilik village – Almaty city (426 km).
After breakfast, we drive to Charyn Canyon, passing the villages of Baschi, Konyrolen, Koktal, Chunja, which are already familiar to us, and after 226 kilometers we reach Charyn Canyon. We go down and walk along the canyon to the Charyn River, taking pictures of the bizarre shapes. Next, we return to the cars and leave for Almaty. When we get to the city, we check into a hotel, have dinner and relax.
Transfer to Almaty airport, departure from Almaty.
Almaty – Issyk kurgans – 52 km.
Issyk –Saka burial mounds "North Malovodnoye" - 76 km
The North Malovodnoye burial mounds - the Saka burial mounds of North Chilik - 44 km.
Kumyskhana "Usek" - rock carvings of Maly Koytas - 5 km.
Kumyskhana "Usek" - sacred Aulie-Agashe tree - 30 km.
Zharkent – Baschi village – guest house "Shagan" 110 km.
Guest house "Shagan" - Beshatyr mounds - 60 km.
Beshatyr Mounds – Taiga rock paintings - 31 km.
Taigak Gorge – Singing Dune 69 km.
Cordon "Mynbulak" – guest house "Shagan" - 42 km
Transfers by jeeps or minibuses "Delica". The route is classified as extreme (high heat, road dust) with full autonomous living in the desert field conditions.
The optimal number of people for such a tour is no more than 12 people.
There are outdoor toilets for overnight stays in yurts.
Personal equipment for tourists should include: a sleeping bag, a sleeping mat, and a flashlight. Recommended clothing and shoes: sneakers with hard soles, trekking boots or shoes, cap or panama hat, sunglasses.
Accommodation in tents is for 2 people, if desired, you can provide single accommodation for an additional fee.
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